Director, Development & Major Gifts

Association of Fundraising Professionals; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits eligible

Job summary

Georgetown Day School seeks a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead and grow the school’s philanthropic program. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the role focuses on advancing annual giving, growing major gifts, and guiding the development team to transform donor engagement.

The Director of Development oversees the Hopper Fund strategy, collaborates with volunteers and school leadership, and ensures data-informed fundraising with strong execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 7 years of experience in development or fundraising.
• Experience in an independent school, higher education, or education-related non-profit environment preferred.
• At least 3 years experience managing staff and volunteers, with the ability to lead, prioritize, and develop team members.
• Demonstrated success in closing major gifts and managing annual giving.
• Experience using donor databases such as Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual development plan aligned with the school’s priorities.
• Strengthen the Hopper Fund through donor segmentation and leadership giving strategy.
• Lead and manage the development team and fundraising operations.
• Cultivate and solicit major donors and manage a high-capacity donor portfolio.
• Design donor stewardship programs and engage volunteers and alumni in fundraising
• Collaborate with school leadership on donor engagement activities and events.

Skills

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Donor engagement

Communication skills

Project management

Evening/weekend availability

Education

Bachelor’s degree required

7+ years development experience

Experience managing staff and volunteers

Tools

Raiser’s Edge / CRM systems

Job description

Georgetown Day School seeks a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead and grow the school’s philanthropic program. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the role focuses on advancing annual giving, growing major gifts, and guiding the development team to transform donor engagement.

The Director of Development oversees the Hopper Fund strategy, collaborates with volunteers and school leadership, and ensures data-informed fundraising with strong execution.